Compressed-air water-elevating pump



Nov. 6, l923. H 1,472,968

w. B. ERB

COMPRESSED AIR WATER ELEVATING PUMP Filed April 1. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z|- W l2 w,ent0r Mimi/B. 57%

W. B. ERB

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 liwxznibr' 4 43W BM/W Filed April 1. 1922 Nov. 6 1923.

COMPRESSED AIR WATER ELEVATING PUMPY Iatented Nov. 6, 1923.

WILLIAM B. EBB, or cnzcneo, ILLINOIS.

COMPRESSED-AIR WATEB- ELEVATING PUMP.

Application filedApril 1, 1922; Serial No. 548,579.

Tor/ll whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM B. Ens, a

citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compressed-Air ater-Elevating Pumps, of which the following is a specification. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof. i

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved construction of a water elevating device operated by compressed air, particularly adapted for deep well pumping, as in drive wells and the like. It consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described, as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of a pumping device embodying this invention, axial both with respect to the water up-take pipe and with respect to the primary and secondary controlling valves.

Figure :2 is a section at the line, k2, on Figure'l, as to the above ground part of the structure.

Figure 3 is a section at the line, 3+3, on

Figures 1 and 2.

In the drawings Arepresents the lower member or intake chamber of the water. up-

take pipe, which is extended from the ground surface to the water bearing stratum indicated between the lines, X, X and Y, Y. B is the continuation or upper meniber of the up-t-ake pipe leading to the ground plate, C, and opening into the delivery chamber, C which discharges through the pipe, C D is a downwardly open chamber which terminates .the compressed air pipe, in, said air pipe leading from the top of said chamber,,l) up through the uptake pipe u1en1ber,,B, .and through thechan'iber, Ct. emerging through a stutihig box. that the upper side of said chamber, C in a pocket. 5/, formed in the lower end of the lower member, 6,01: the puma proper. consisting of two. valve housings, (I and Ii, hereinafter more particularlydescribed. J is the water inlet valve seating downwardly in the terminal fitting, J of the up-take pipe, A, for admitting the water from the water stratuminto the rip-take pipe, A, and chamber, D,and retaining the same therein so thatit may be forced upward therefrom by the con pro$$ed air admitted,

through the pipe, E, as hereinafter described, j is a. bridge piece in which a guide pin, j, for the valve, J,'is mounted. -The compressed air pipe, E, is held fixedly in vertical position and immovable vertically by having an upper and a lower member of which it is composed both screwed into a bridge, 6, in the upper section, A of the water intake chamber, A, K is a. valve mounted slidingly on the compressed air pipe, E, below said bridge, stopping upwardlyagainst the bridge and seating downwardly at a valve seat, A positioned at the junction of the'member, A with the lowermember of the chamber, A, said valve operating as a check valve to retain during the intervals of compressed air access the water forced upward past it by the compressed air.

The pumping device proper comprises two piston valve devices and their respective chambers. These two valve chambers are mounted, one crossing the other, making the entire construction T-shaped. The primary valve device is the cross of the T, comprising a piston chamber, L, extending horizontally and having reciprocating init at two heads, L and L their connecting stem, L and a filler, If, crescent shaped as seen in Figure 2,though this shape is not obli gatory,this filler extending water-tight double headed piston valve co'mprisingthe between the two piston heads and seating water-tighn piston-wise,a-t the lower side of the piston chamber, being open at its upper side between the two piston heads. A pipe .M, leading from a source of com pressed air,-discharges into the cylinder, L,

midway in the length thereof, and thereby 7 between the two piston heads at all postions of the piston member in the chamber. The compressed air conduit comprises in addition to the pipe, E, above mentioned, a; pipe, E". which is connected at its'lo w er end at into the pocket, g, -and thereby making practically continuous connection.

withthe upper section of the pipe,E, and connected at .lllS upper endto a duct, a

which extends in throughlthe base, L of the cylinder, L,.to a point in the vertical diametric plane of the cylinder, and thence opening upwardly into the cylinderas seen ne The tiller, I}, has a port, Z, opening through itata position for registering with the port, 6 9, when the piston valve is at one end of its stroke. in the cylinder, ,whereby at that position compressed air communiea,

tion is opened from the pipe, M, through the filler, L, the compressed air pipe, E", and the compressed air pipe, E, into the chamber, D, for forcing the water up, as hereinafter described.

In the base, L there is provided an exhaust passage, Z leading out through the same side of the base as the duct, (Z and opening upwardly at its inner end as seen at Z, into the piston valve chamber within the area at which the tiller, L, seats; and said filler has in its lower side a recess, Z extending longitudinally, of sutiicient length to bridge and connect the two ports, 6 and when the piston is; at the opposite end of its stroke from that at which the port, 0 eg st rs th th ap rture,

The secondary valve body, G, constituting he e of the. ha its Cyli d i a valve chamber, C axially vertical, with its axis intersecting the axis of the primary valve chamber substantially at the middle point in the length of the latter. An exhaust duct, h, formed partly in the base of the valve body, Z, and partly in the upper end portion of the valve body, g, leads from the lower side of the primary valve chamber into the secondary valve chamber near the upper end of the latter, the upper port of said exhaust passage in the primary valve chamber being positioned for being lapped by the right hand end of the recess, Z when the primary piston valve is at the right hand limit of its stroke at which position said recess, 2 bridges and connects said eX haust passage, h, with the exhaust port, Z In the base, L of the primary valve body there is provided a duct, Z", connecting the primary valve chamber with the secondary valve chamber, its mouth in the latter being at the upper end thereof,'beyond the limit of the stroke of the secondary piston valve, and its mouth in the primary valve hamber being at a position at which it registers with the port, Z, of the filler, L, when the primary piston valve is at the left hand limit of its stroke. In the lower side of the primary valve body and in the opposite sides of the secondary valve body, there are formed registering parts of exhaust pas: sages, G and G the portions of said passages in the primary valve. body being denoted respectively g and said passages opening in the primary valve body at opposits ends of the chamber thereof. each a short distance back from the end for the purpose hereinafter explainedj An opening in the central valve chamber at a distance apart in the length of said chamber and from the opposite ends thereof, and in relation to other ports, and the piston heads of the central valve suitable for the mode of operation hereinafter described. The secondarylv -i N, has a opposite nd piston headed? and, From, the pper ide o 1 ,avaees the chamber of the primary Valve at a point in its length atwhicli it. is not closed at any time by either piston head, a duct, 22, leads in both valve bodies to a port, 39 in the secondary valve chamber. A pipe, 6 leads from a port, 6 near the lower end of said secondary valve chamber, out through the body thereof into the pipe, E The secondary valve, N, has a longitudinally extending duct, n, which opens radially of said valve at the surface thereof between the two pistons, N and The relative positions of the several duct openings in the secondary valve chamber and of the three piston heads on the secondary valve will be understood from the following description of the mode of operation of the device.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figure l, the water will have risen into the intake chamber, A, filling the same and the chamber, D, and some portion of the pipe, E, up to the normal level of water in the water stratum. Compressed air being now admitted through the pipe, 912, will operate through the various parts and passages, including the pipe, E, upon the water in the downwardly open chamber, D, forcing the same down in said clownwardly-open chamber, and out around the lower end thereof and up in the up-takc pipe, A (the valve, J, being closed by the pressure) and thence on up past the valve, K, which will be opened by. the upward pressure into the delivery chamber, C out through the delivery pipe, C In this proc-. ess, asthe water level descends under the pressure in the chamber, D, the upward movement in the up-take pipe and connections thence upward will be steady, but as soon as the water level in the chamber, D, reaches the lower mouth thereof, the compressed air will break loose and be discharged violently and rapidly up through and as an air piston behind the water in the up-take pipe, causing the same to be discharged somewhat violently charged with and followed by the air, with the result of almost instantaneous relief of the air pressure which has been accumulated somewhat gradually. \Vhile this pressure was aceum; ulating, it was transmitted from the pipe. E through the cross pipe, a into the lower end of the central valve chamber and by way of the passage, G and into the primary valve chamber at the left hand end of the piston valve therein, forcing said valve to the opposite limit, imprisoning at said opposite end the air contained in the chamber beyond the port, 9 and compressing the imprisoned air which thereby acts as a eush; ion for the valve stroke. Upon the relief of the compression above described. this rel tf extending tothe left hand end of the primary valve ehamber, the reaction of compressed air-cushion tl-irows the primary valve to the left a distance sufficient to uncover the port, 9 whereupon compressed air operating through the duct, p, and entering the secondary valve chamber at p, andpassing up through the duct, G entering the primary valve chamber at the right hand end of the piston valves, thrusts said valve toward the opposite end of its chamber with the result, first, that the pas sage, 2*, of the filler, L", is brought into registration with the duct, Z leading from the primary valve chamber into the upper end of the secondary valve chamber, and thereby admits compressed air to the upper end of the secondary valve, causing it to be forced down in its chamber where at its lower end, as soon as it passes the port, 6 it imprisons an air cushion, preventing hammering of the valve, free exhaustion of the air from the lower end of the secondary valve chamber being obtained through the'pipe, 6 up to the point of closing of said port. In the stroke of the primary valve above described, it will be noticed that the exhaust passage, g, is closed and-the port, e 9, and 6 are bridged and connected by the recess,- Z, in the filler, L", so that there is free exhaust communication from the pipe, E out through the duct, F. The movementof the central valve piston as described, carries the piston head, N up past the port of the passage, G while the intermediate piston head, N is reaching and does not pass or cover the port, 39 of the duct, P, so that upon the completion of this stroke, compressed air is admitted by way of the pipe,P, and passages, G and g into the left hand end of the'primary valve chamber, and the shifting of the piston head, N from above to below the port of the passage, x '9 opens a free exhaust communication from the right hand end of the primary valve chamber through the longitudinal duct, a, in the secondary valve to the port, e, of the pipe, E into the pipe, E which is at that instant in low pressure communication through the pipe, E, with the emptied chamber, D, and uptake chamber. A. The access ofpressure to the left hand end and the opening of exhaust from the right hand end of the primary valve causes that valve to be shifted to the right hand end, re-establishing theconditions assumed at starting with-pressure opera-ting through the pipe, Ei, and branch 6, and admitted by port, er, under the piston, N. restoring said piston to the position shown in Figure 1, and causing the repetition of the entire cycle. The device is therefore entirely automatic as long asthe air compressing devices continue to furnish compressed air through the pipe, M, it being understood that the water from the stratum will have risen into the uptake pipe and chamber, D, while the valve movements above described have been occurring as the result of the relief of pressure by the air I pipe, :1 downwardly open chamber to which.

the pipe leads, adapted to be submerged in the water and to be filled from below; an outer chamber and upwardly extending conduit therefrom enclosing said submerged chamber and compressed air pipe; said outer conduithaving its upper end positioned for discharging the water elevated by the device; a primary piston "alve device and a cylinder in which it reciprocates arranged for connection with a source of compressed air, and a secondary piston valve device for controlling the air connections of the pri mary valve device, the latter having ports and air passages for admitting compressed air to the first mentioned air pipe for forc ing the water downward out of the first mentioned chamber; the ports of said primary device being positioned with respect to the stroke of the piston valvetherein to cause imprisonment for air cushioning of the piston valve at the ends of its strokes and for starting it on its reverse stroke, the passages from said ports leading to the chamber of the second mentioned piston valve device. 1 V 3 2. In the construction defined in claim 1, foregoing, the last mentioned passages opening'into said last mentioned chamber at a distance apart along the length of said chamber sufficient to accommodate between the ports a piston head of the'p'iston valve device operating in said chamber, the stroke of said piston valve being from said posi-. tion between said ports to a position beyond both of them toward one end of the chamber; whereby at one position said piston head cuts of]? communication between the two: ports and at the other position opens communication between them;

'3. In the construction defined in claim 1, foregoing, the first mentioned piston valve having a piston-headat each end; a central stem connecting said heads and a filler extending between the two piston heads at one side of the stem spaced therefrom and I seated in piston-fit relation on the valve chamber wall at that side, the chamber having a compressed air inlet opening between the piston heads of the valve, thecompressed air pipe to the submerged chamber leading from the valve chamber-fat the Tsideat which said filler seats,'the, filler having a throu'gh aperture for registering witlithe intake of said pipe at one limit of'the piston valve stroke; an exhaust duct leadingfrom the piston chamber at the same side, the filler having a cavity on its seated side extending longitudinally thereof for bridging the ex haust port, and the compressed air intake port at the opposite limit of the piston valve stroke a. In the construction defined in claim 1, foregoing. the chamber of the secondary valve device having exhaust ports near its opposite ends, and an air intake port intermediate its ends, and two passages leading respectively to the opposite end portions of the primary valve chamber and opening respectively in the secondary valve chamber between the compressed air intake port thereof and the opposite end exhaust ports; the said secondary valve device having end piston heads and an intermediate piston head, said piston valve having such length of stroke, and said several ports being so situated relatively, that one of said end piston heads stands between the compressed air intake port and the port of the passage 7 intake and the passage leading to the other end of the primary valve chamber.

5. In the construction defined in claim 1, foregoing, the secondary piston valve having three piston heads and an apertureleading from between two of them longitudinally through the piston body to the remote end of the same, the chamber of said secondary valve having an exhaust port leading from said remote end, and an exhaust passage from one end of the primary valve chamber opening at a point in the secondary valve chamber between the same two pis ton heads at one limit of the stroke of the secondary valve in its chamber.

6. In the construction defined in claim 1, foregoing, the first mentioned piston valve having a piston head at each end; a central stem connecting said heads and a filler extending between the two piston heads at one side of the stem spaced therefrom and seated in piston-fit relation on the valve chamber wall at that side, the chamber having a compressed air inlet opening between e p s h ads of he lve, the compressed air pipe to the submerged chamber leading from the valve chamber at the side a h c said fill r seats, the filler ha g a through aperture for registering with the in? take of said pipe at one limit of the piston valve t ke; a du con cting the two valve chambers having its port in the primary valve chamber positioned for register ing with the through aperture in the tiller at the opposite limit of the primary valve stroke, for admitting compressed air tooperate the secondary valve upon the stroke Of said primary valve to said opposite limit.

7. In a compressed-air-operated pump, a piston valve for controlling the admission of compressed air, and a piston chamber in which it reciprocates, said chamber having a closed pocket into which a piston head of the valveis thrust and compresses the air thereby imprisoned in the pocket, the piston chamber having a port for admission of compressed air positioned for being uncovered by the reverse movement of the valve produced by the reaction of the imprisoned air from said compression by the piston head. a

8. In the construction defined in claim 7 foregoing, the piston valve having a head, as described, at each end; the piston chamber having a pocket, as described, at each end, and a compressed air portproximate to each pocket; compressed air passages and exhaust passages leading to said ports re spectively, and means brought into operation by the piston valves stroke into each pocket for shifting the compressed air communication to the port proximate to that pocket and the exhaust communication to the other port.

9. In the construction defined in claim 7,

foregoing, the piston valve, having a head, as described, at each end; the piston chamber having a pocket, as described, at each end, and a compressed air port proximate to each pocket; compressed air passages and exhaust passages leading'to said ports re spectively; a secondary'piston valve and a chamber in which it reciprocates, said chamber being interposed in the compressed air inlet and exhaust passages of the primary valve chamber, and asecondary piston valve having piston heads for variously controlling communication of said passages to shiftthe compressed air from one end to the other of the primary piston valve chamber; said primary valve chamber having acompressed air communication between the piston heads and a passage also leading from between the piston heads into the secondary piston chamher, opening in the latter beyond one limit of the piston valves stroke therein, the primary valve having means for opening the primary chamber port of said last mentioned pa s ge n he st oke of e prima y al e into one of said pockets, and closing it in he pposi es ro e- In estimony eo I have h re nto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this th day Of March, 1922.

1 V L IAM B. EB 

